INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES AS A COMPONENT OF THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN UKRAINE

Abstract

The article investigates the role of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the digital transformation of law enforcement agencies in Ukraine within the context of rapid technological development, increasing cyber threats, and the growing digitalization of public administration. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to reconsider the place of ICT in modern law enforcement, where digital technologies have evolved beyond auxiliary technical tools and now serve as the technological foundation of an integrated digital law enforcement ecosystem. The purpose of the study is to examine the role of ICT in the digital transformation of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, to substantiate their significance as the core integrating component of the digital law enforcement ecosystem, to identify its structural elements and functional relationships, and to determine the key directions for improving information and analytical support for law enforcement activities. The research is based on a combination of general scientific and special legal methods, including analysis, synthesis, the systemic approach, comparative legal analysis, and the functional method. The study analyses current Ukrainian legislation, international approaches to digital policing, and contemporary scientific research on digital transformation, criminal intelligence analysis, Intelligence-Led Policing, open-source intelligence (OSINT), artificial intelligence, digital forensics, and information support for law enforcement agencies. The findings substantiate an expanded understanding of ICT as an integrated system of digital technologies, information resources, analytical platforms, software and hardware solutions, communication infrastructure, and decision-support tools that ensure the collection, integration, processing, analysis, exchange, visualization, and practical use of information in managerial, operational, investigative, and procedural activities. The article proposes a conceptual model of a digital law enforcement ecosystem comprising interconnected information resources, communication infrastructure, analytical technologies, artificial intelligence, OSINT, digital forensics, geospatial technologies, cybersecurity mechanisms, and decision-support systems. The study demonstrates that the effectiveness of digital transformation depends not on the implementation of isolated digital solutions but on ensuring interoperability between information systems and the integration of technological, organizational, and analytical components into a unified information environment. Particular attention is paid to the role of the Unified Information System of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine and the Information Portal of the National Police of Ukraine as key components of the national digital law enforcement infrastructure. The novelty of the study lies in substantiating a systemic approach to ICT as the conceptual and technological foundation of the digital transformation of law enforcement agencies. Unlike existing studies that mainly focus on individual digital technologies, the proposed approach considers ICT as an integrated mechanism that ensures the effective interaction of all components of the digital law enforcement ecosystem. The practical value of the research lies in the possibility of applying the proposed conceptual approaches to improving information and analytical support, strengthening interoperability between law enforcement information systems, enhancing digital capabilities, and implementing advanced analytical technologies in the activities of Ukrainian law enforcement agencies.